Peterborough pervert wrote
a note for girl

A man who handed a note to a 13-year-old girl asking her to come to his house for ‘a bit of fun’ has avoided being sent to prison.

Ashley Mumford (27) handed the note to the girl on April 14 this year as she walked past him in the street.

On Friday he appeared at Peterborough Crown Court where he was given a suspended jail term by Judge Sean Enright - and was told he only avoided an immediate prison term because of his lack of previous convictions.

Judge Enright described Mumford’s behaviour as utterly disgraceful.’

Claire Howell, prosecuting, told the court: “The defendant approached the girl as she walked past him. He handed her a note which said that he liked the look of her bottom, and to come to his hour for fun. The note also said not to tell anyone else about it.

“The girl was upset and reported it straight away.”

Mumford was arrested and charged with inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The court heard he denied the charge, saying he was not aware of how old the girl was.

However, a jury found him guilty of the charge at a trial earlier this year.

Gillian McGivern, defending, said: “He has shown genuine remorse, and said he is exceptionally sorry for his actions.”

He said: “Your conduct is on any view utterly disgraceful. Your actions caused the girl tremendous distress, and also to her mother. No parent wants to find their child has been propositioned in this way or by an offender who may be near by.

“The one thing that saves you from immediate custody is an absence of convictions.”

There were emotional scenes as the sentence was passed, members of the victim’s family, who were sitting in the public gallery, walked out of court.